Kitchen Tip #2

You can use a gridded cookie rack to effortlessly cut eggs into perfect pieces. No, I am not trying to sound like one of those cheesy infomercials that we all look forward to on Saturday morning (wink, wink). Take a bowl and place a gridded cookie rack over the top. After your eggs have been hard-boiled and peeled, simply push them down and wha-la! Diced eggs--simple, fast and fun!

Kitchen Tip #1

Gotta love family! My Aunt Kathy has sent me a wonderful kitchen tip. A big thanks to sharing this with us! This is a great time-saver and saves a big mess!!

Use a zippered storage bag for:

• Deviled Egg Mixture--> The bag makes it easy to mash up egg yolks and then add the rest of your ingredients like mayo, mustard a dash of salt and whatever else you might want in your mixture. Close bag, mush it together and when mixed, you cut off a small corner (not where zipper is) and squeeze out that corner to fill eggs.


• Frosting--> Put the frosting in the bga and cut the corner to decorate cakes, cookies, pies, etc.


• Melted Chocolate-->After chocolate chips or fudge sauce has been heated/melted, place it in the bag and clip the corner. Drizzle over cookies, cakes, pies, etc.


• Batter--> Pankcake batter and other thin batters will easily squeeze from the bag.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Many thanks to my sister, Leslie, for this recipe! She made these for breakfast this morning and I had to share them with all of you!!

You will need:

• Box of pankcake mix (or your favorite buttermilk pancake recipe)


• Chunky applesauce


• Ground cinnamon


• Water


• Warm apple compote or warm apple pie filling

Preheat griddle to 350 degrees or skillet to medium. In a mixing bowl, mix pankcake mix and 1/2 of the suggested amount of water (found on the instructions on the pancake mix box). Instead of the other half of water, mix in one cup of chunky applesauce. Add cinnamon to taste and stir.

Pour 3" diameter pankcakes on griddle, allow bubbles to pop and flip. The applesauce does make the batter a slightly different consistency, so allow a few minutes of extra cooking time.

Top with warm apple compote, apple pie filling or additional applesauce.

Taco Ring (Pampered Chef)

This taco ring is simple to make, yummy to eat and pleasing to the eyes. It is great to take to pot luck dinners or to prepare for family after a long day at work and school. The recipe comes from Pampered Chef and you do NOT have to have all of their kitchen gadgets to create this. If you have them, it definitely makes it easier, but the tools are not requirements. Wash your hands and let's get in the kitchen!!

You will need:

• 1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained



• 1 package taco seasoning mix



• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese



• 2 Tbsp. water



• 2 packages refrigerated crescent roll dough



• 1 medium green or red pepper



• 1/2 head of lettuce, shredded



• 1 medium tomato, cubed



• 1 small onion, chopped



• sliced black olives



• 1 cup of salsa



• sour cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine meat, seasoning, 1/2 of cheese, and water in a Classic Batter Bowl.

Arrange crescent triangles on a Large Round Baking Stone. The bases will overlap and points to the outside (it should look like a sunburst).

Scoop the meat mixture over the crescent rolls using the Large Scoop. Fold the triangle over filling and tuck under the base at the center. Filling will not be completely covered.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cut the top of the green or red pepper off using V-Shaped Cutter and take out the seeds.


Place the pepper in the center of the ring and fill with salsa. Slice the lettuce with your Ultimate Slice & Grate and mound the lettuce, onion, and tomato, black olives, and remaining cheese around the pepper. Garnish with sour cream using Easy Accent Decorator.

Crustless Cheesy Quiche

I got this recipe from the back of a Kraft 2% cheese package! It's wonderful and even better for you low-carb dieters!

You will need:

• 2 cups cholesterol free egg product (or real egg equivalent)


• 4 frozen BOCA meatless breakfast links, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices


• 6 fresh asparagus spears cut into 1/2 inch lengths


• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese


• 1/2 cup 2% cheddar cheese


• 1/4 finely ground onion ( I left out)


• 1 Tbslp dijon mustard


• Spices (optional) I added rosemary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients until well blended and pour into the prepared pie plate. Bake for 45 minutes or until center is puffy and top is golden brown. Makes 6 servings.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Let's start the collection of recipes out with (drum roll please.....) Twice Baked Potatoes! I have never met anyone that does not love these. At every family function or gathering, they are a huge hit.

You will need:

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 8 green onions, sliced
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
  Cook bacon over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and put in a bowl. Set aside. Once the potatoes have cooked, leave on cutting board to cool for approximately 10 minutes. Slice each potato in half lengthwise and scoop the filling into a large bowl. Leave about a 1/2 inch on the outsides and save skins. Add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions to the potato filling in the bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Scoop the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
  Bake for another 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly! As an extra, leave a container of sour cream in the center of a platter with the potatoes lining the platter. YUMMY!!

Welcome Cooking Fans!

Welcome cooking fans! I have not quite found that "love for cooking" yet that everyone keeps talking about and am hoping that through this blog, I can find it and inspire other kitchen strangers to enjoy the same. If you ask me what we are having for dinner, my typical response is, "I don't know, I haven't really thought about it. Let's go out somewhere." Hmm...sound familiar? I have some awesome recipes to post and hope to get some in return. Send me an email if you know of some great recipes to add to our collection. Kitchen tips are welcome, too!